2.08 – Soul Music Part 2: The Best of Motown

Welcome to the second installment of our Soul Music series! This week, we’re focusing on the best of Motown.

If you’re a fan of classic soul, then you’re sure to enjoy this collection of hits from some of the biggest names in the genre. We’ve got tracks from the likes of Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, and Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, so get ready to groove!

Introduction

Welcome back to our series on soul music! In the last installment, we took a look at the origins of the genre and some of its earliest pioneers. This week, we’re going to focus on one of the most successful and influential record labels in soul music history: Motown.

Founded in 1959 by Berry Gordy, Motown played a major role in the development of soul music. The label’s roster included some of the genre’s biggest names, including Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, and Stevie Wonder. Over the course of its history, Motown released some of soul music’s most iconic songs, including “My Girl”, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”, and “I Heard it Through the Grapevine”.

So without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the best Motown has to offer!

What is Motown?

Motown is a style of popular music that was developed in Detroit, Michigan in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The term “Motown” is often used to refer to the record label that was founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. in 1959. Motown played a significant role in the development of soul music and helped to make it a mainstream genre. The label’s roster included some of the most iconic and influential artists of the time, including Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, Diana Ross & The Supremes, and Stevie Wonder. These artists created a sound that was distinctly American and had a wide appeal that crossed racial boundaries. Motown’s success paved the way for other African American-owned record labels and helped to make Detroit one of the most important musical centers of the 20th century.

The Best of Motown

This is the second part of a two-part series on soul music. Motown was a record label that was founded in 1959 by Berry Gordy. It was home to many famous artists such as Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, and Stevie Wonder. Motown was a very successful label and helped to shape the sound of popular music in the 1960s.

The Temptations

The Temptations are one of the most successful and well-known R&B groups of all time, with numerous hits both in the United States and internationally. Originally forming in 1960 as The Elgins, the group went through several lineup changes before settling on the classic five-man lineup of Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, Paul Williams, Eddie Kendricks, and David Ruffin. 20th century R&B and pop music simply would not be the same without The Temptations’ influence, and their status as Motown legends is firmly cemented.

The Supremes

The Supremes were an American female singing group and the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown’s acts and are, to date, America’s most successful vocal group with 12 number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. Most of these hits were written and produced by Motown’s main songwriting and production team, Holland–Dozier–Holland. At their peak in the mid-1960s, the Supremes rivaled the Beatles in worldwide popularity, and it is said that their success made it possible for future African American R&B and soul musicians to find mainstream success. Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diana Ross, and Betty McGlown (a.k.a. “the first Lady of Motown”), founded The Primettes as a sister group to The Primes (now known as The Temptations) in January 1959. Barbara Martin replaced McGlown in 1960, and the group signed with Motown the following year as The Supremes. Martin left before the group’s first hit record; thus, The Supremes originally consisted of Ross, Wilson and Ballard—although all three women contributed vocals to various tracks on each of their albums/singles as backing vocalists.McGlown was replaced by Cindy Birdsong in 1967.”

Marvin Gaye

Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr.; April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984) was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo artist with a string of hits, including “Ain’t That Peculiar”, “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)”, and “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”, and duet recordings with Mary Wells, Kim Weston, Diana Ross. Gaye’s personal life was marred by drug abuse and domestic violence.

Gaye’s father, Marvin Gay Sr., was a minister of the House of God church. Gay Sr. abused his son physically and verbally after he witnessed his wife having an affair with another man. As a child, Gaye learned to play piano, drums, and Triangle (a percussion instrument). He joined several local doo-wop groups as a teenager.

In 1957 Marvin began working at Motown Records as a session musician. He played on numerous Motown hits such as “The Way You Do The Things You Do”, “My Girl”, and “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg”. He also served as one of the company’s in-house producers. In 1961 he released his first solo single,”Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide”. His first album,”The Soulful Moods Of Marvin Gaye”, was released in 1962.

By the mid 1960s Marvin had established himself as one of Motown’s premier artists. In 1964 he released his fourth studio album,”Hello Broadway”. The album’s lead single,”How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)”, became Marvin’s first top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. The follow-up singles,”Ain’t That Peculiar” and “I’ll Be Doggone”, were also successful. In 1965 he released his fifth studio album,”A Tribute to the Great Nat King Cole”. The album featured interpretations of Cole’s songs such as “Mona Lisa” and “Nature Boy”.

In 1966 Marvin released his sixth studio album,”I Heard It Through the Grapevine!”. The title track became one of the most successful singles in Motown history; spending seven weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart and selling over three million copies worldwide. The success of the single propelled the album to number one on the Billboard 200 chart; making it Marvin’s first chart-topping LP.

By the early 1970s Marvin had become disillusioned with Motown’s business practices. In 1971 he signed a contract with Columbia Records; becoming the label’s highest paid artist at that time. He released his first album for Columbia,”What’s Going On”, in 1971 to critical acclaim. The LP yielded three top ten singles on the Billboard Hot 100: “What’s Going On”, “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)”, and “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)”. What’s Going On is considered by many critics to be one of greatest albums ever recorded. In 1972 Marvin won Grammy Awards for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song for its title track.

Over the next decade Marvin would release thirteen more albums; including two more chart-toppers: 1973’s”Let’s Get It On”and 1981’s”In Our Lifetime”. From 1979 to1981 he recorded three duets with Diana Ross: “”My Mistake (Was To Love You)”(1979),”Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)”(1980),and “”You Are Everything””(1981).All three songs peaked at number two on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.”Endless Love”, their duet from Ross’ self-titled 1981 LP,, topped charts worldwide; becoming one of biggest selling singles of all time.”Sexual Healing” ,from 1982’s Midnight Love ,won two Grammy Awards: Best Male R&B Vocal Performanceand Best R&B Song .

On April 1, 1984—the day before his 45th birthday—Marvin was shot dead by his father at their home in Los Angeles after an argument regarding housekeeping duties apportioned between mother Alberta & wife Janis . Following his death numerous compilations & live albums were posthumously released; with 1971’s What’s Going On & 1982’s Midnight Love becoming two of best selling albums ever by an R&B artist . In 2003, on what would have been Marvin’s 64th birthday ,he was posthumously awarded Platinum certifications from both Recording Industry Association America & United Kingdom for sales exceeding one million units . Rolling Stone magazine ranked him #6 on their list of “100 Greatest Singers Of All Time ” & #18 on “100 Greatest Artists Of All Time ”while Pitchfork Media named What’s Going On best album last 50 years .

Smokey Robinson and the Miracles

Smokey Robinson and the Miracles were one of the most successful Motown groups of all time. Their string of hits in the 1960s and 1970s included “The Tears of a Clown,” “I Second That Emotion,” “The Tracks of My Tears,” and “Ooo Baby Baby.” Robinson was the group’s lead singer and main songwriter, and his distinctive voice and style helped make the Miracles one of the most popular groups of their era.

Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder is widely considered one of the best songwriter/producer/artists of all time. Stevie has won 25 Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe Award. He has also been inducted into both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Wonder was born in Saginaw, Michigan and started his music career when he was just 11 years old. He signed with Motown Records in 1961 and released his first album, “The Marvelous Wonderettes” in 1962.

Wonder’s first hit single was “Fingertips – Pt. 2”, which reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart when he was just 13 years old. Throughout his career, Stevie Wonder has released over 30 studio albums and has sold over 100 million records worldwide. Some of his best-known songs include “My Cherie Amour”, “You Are the Sunshine of My Life”, “Superstition”, and “Isn’t She Lovely”. Wonder continues to tour and perform around the world today and is currently working on a new album.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Motown was a style of music that was popular in the 1960s and 1970s. It was created by African American musicians who were living in Detroit, Michigan. Motown music is known for its soulful sound and its ability to cross over into different genres of music. Some of the most famous Motown artists include Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and Diana Ross.